If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Video Game Violence Interview

This is an interview with Tim Buckley, the creator of the comic CTRL ALT DEL... I really agree with his stance on video game violence, the problem lies not with the games, but with the personality of the person playing it, or the lack of parenting.

What do you guys think?

[H]ard|OCP <--Best hardware/gaming news out there--| pwned.nl <--Gamers will love this one --|
Light a man a fire and you\'ll keep him warm for a day, Light a man ON fire and you\'ll keep him warm the rest of his life.

Felt violent lately? According to some of the latest research violent feelings may come from playing brutal video games or watching television. "When teenagers play these games scoring points for brutally murdering their victims, it sends the wrong massage to youth" said Pamela Riley. ("Violent Video Games Spark Debate, Legislation").Many people are discussing whether there is a cause and effect relationship between these violent games, shows and the behavior of those who participate. Media violence and horrifying images in computer games is a contributing factor to aggressive behavior in young people who watch extreme shows or play these games.

The viewing of certain violent television shows contributes to children’s behavior. Levine believes that "children who watch a lot of extreme television is cultivating aggressive attitudes that last a lifetime"(54). Shows like "Americas Most Wanted" or "Cops" are good examples of television that teach children aggressive behavior. Children are great imitators. They imitate bad characters from television shows and put it into reality. Television teaches children to shoot, maim and hurt people in many different ways and how to deal with these situations without any emotions. Both television and theatre movies depict brutal violence. Current research estimates that "between 5 and 15 percent of aggressive behavior is attributable to high levels of media violence" (Levine, 78). Media violence primes children to see killing as acceptable.
Superheroes are a common thing in movies. Seeing how a hero conquers, even violently, gives children a sense of power, mastery and teaches them that good triumphs over evil. Levine states "today’s heroes are mostly dependent on violence, which children are prone to imitate"(118). Grossman and DeGaetano say “the more unrealistic the character, the more likely that children want to be like the character and behave like it"(49).They are mostly imitating people or heroes who are respected and powerful. Grossman and DaGeatano studied and came to a conclusion that "a typical American child will have seen at least 200.000 dramatized acts of violence and 40.000 screen murders" (68). Just taking a look in TV-Guide there is about 80% aggressive and extreme TV shows such as "Forensic Files" or "Jerry springer". Taking for example a popular show like "Jackass" that is showing on MTV. Kids watching this show see that normal people became popular by doing just some extreme stunts and behaving badly. Kids imitate them and try to be like them, not knowing that it is just acting and end up with more problems and really bad behavior.

Traditionally cartoons have been viewed as harmless for children, but if examined a little bit closer, cartoons also involve extreme behavior. Levine states that “cartoons are the most violent form of entertainment on network today" (89). Children under nine years of age believe that everything is real, and they believe what cartoon characters do does not hurt. They see cartoons through naive eyes. The Roadrunner cartoon is one of the best examples, showing extreme behavior and violence like falling of the cliffs or getting shot but still getting up and being alive. ("Media Violence Creates More Violence") that article states "even watching one horrifying cartoon it will increase the risk of aggressive behavior." Children are easy to influence esspecialy by cartoons becouse they are the best entertainment to children between three and ten years of age.

The child of yesterday played outside; the child of today plays video games. Children spend a huge amount of time playing violent video games that contribute to their behavior. Studies have shown that the physiological responses of children who are playing extreme video games contain an increased amount of aggressive thought and violent reaction. One article, "Video Game Violence and Public Policy", points out that "children who are playing violent video games see the world as a hostile place". By playing one of the extreme video games like Grand Theft Auto or Medal of Honor children become overly vulnerable to acting out violently, argue more and are involved in physical fights. Violent video games provide a aggressive instinct more often in children then in adults. "Teachers are reporting more physical fights in schools and mostly boys have extremely aggressive behavior like talking back or arguing" ("Video Game Violence and Public Policy"). Another source says that "children who are addicted to video games are most likely always in a bad mood." (We are Training Our Kids to Kill). Playing violent games day in and day out forms bad behavior and always bad mood becouse they are extreamly brutal.

Violent video games are meant for adults, but their popularity extends all the way to elementary schools. Most children get very easily addicted to extreme video games and play longer than they intend to. They like to win. It does not matter if they are killing people as long as they are winning the game. They feel comfortable killing people and are seduced. Kids feel mastery and control if they are pulling the trigger and not somebody else. A research from Grossman and DeGaetano shows that “video games can suppress childrens inclination towards engaging in pro-social behavior"(130). Spending your free time watching splattered organs, body parts or shootings will have a big effect even in an adults behavior. With children who are less able to decifer reality from fantasy the effect is greater.

Since children are uncertain about the line between fantasy and reality technology is much more dangerous in their hands than it is in the hands of adults. Brutal video games teach kids most of the strategies that soldiers are being taught in the Army ("Video Playground: Now Studies Link Violent Video Games to Violent Behavior"). Even though it's prohibited for under aged children to buy aggressive games, most are readily available to children through adults at home. The adult's playing these games are not taking care to keep them from children's access. Even if a child's parents are watchful, the access to these games may come from neighbors or playmates. Even computers or internet is advertising and giving access to violent games, allowing children to download them and play. They often are not asking for age or some identification. Grossman and DeGaetano say that "warnings on games are not stopping kids from playing it; they think it's advertisement"(81). Most children do not read the warnings on games or don't care about them, the important thing is that they have it and can play it.

Some people believe that the United States has become the most violent nation in the industrialized world. Levine states that "homicide is the leading cause of death" (4). There are many examples of homicides caused by violent TV shows or brutal games. One of them is the Jonesboro shootings. It happened in Pearl, Mississippi. It all started when a sixteen year old boy killed his family. Nine students were wounded and two of them died. He was one of the kids playing brutal video games ("We are Training Our Kids to Kill"). Many accidents also happen among young children with guns. They cannot tell a toy gun from a real one and play with it like in the movies. Murders just work their way across America.
The evidence to be found strongly suggests that there is a real connection between the violence in video games, television and the behavior of young people who play these games and view film violence. Studies in progress are going to back up this idea. Observations of teen peer group behavior suggest that there is a connection between the violence teens and kids are exposed to and violence in their thoughts and actions. One study done in 1982 by the National Institute of Mental Health studied over 2,500 effects of media violence. The conclusion that they brought was that "media violence is strongly correlated with extreme aggressive behavior" (Grossman and DeGaetano 29). There is no evidence to contradict this conclusion.

Television itself should not be demonized. It can serve as an effective instrument for human development. What needs to be done is to find new types of entertainment that do not use violence and establish new role models for young people that portray nonviolent characteristics. The effect of this extreme behavior towards kids is going to cause problems for the next generation. Grossman and DeGeanto said "kids around eight years of age that are exposed to extreme violent television or games as mothers and fathers later on will more likely punish their own children more often that other parents" (29). Parents need to realize that their children are exposed to many messages through television and video games. Most of them are extremely violent and are often at odds with the moral values that parents hope to teach to their children. This kind of consequence is harmful for our children and grandchildren.

StreetsCrack.comJoin The Best Music Social Network Online. Music downloads, promotions, forums, profile, games etc...

Well...elmer fudd never caused me to shoot anybody, and moe didn't make me double poke somebody in the eyes, but there are suseptible people who are easily manipulated...cults and fan clubs are full of them...I love music personally but I've never been to a concert...never plan to...the music I can buy on CD...the band I could care less about.
I remember when Queen Elizabeth came here to visit...I was probably the only person who didn't go...who didn't care to go.

Sanitizing everything for the sake of the easily manipulated is not the answer...these people will just find another venue to act out upon...sanitizing is like saying the way to remove racism is simply to make everyone the same colour...all that does is cause it to be re-directed...or re-focused on something else.